BDC650BSS Grind Control Thermal Carafe, Brushed Stainless Steel

UPDATE: Year 8... RIP to my Breville Grind Control Coffee Brewer which lasted 7 years, 10 months. Honestly I'd have been happy had it lasted 2 years when I first bought it considering I was going through 3-4 brewers per year for a few years prior to buying the Grind Control. The machine technically still worked when I retired it due to a tank leakage I'd neglected to acknowledge that led to a rust build-up on the bottom of the unit. More rust than I wanted to deal with removing. Also, it was looking rather worn after producing so many cups of coffee over so many years. In the nearly 8 years of using the Grind Control I also started drinking and making different coffee brew methods such as French Press, Moka, Pour Over and Espresso. With all those options I afforded myself the time to research and read reviews on other automatic coffee brewers before buying another machine. Nothing seemed to compare to the Grind Control features wise though. So I read the reviews here as well. Not sure where all the hate directed towards this machine comes from. So. Some people overstate how difficult the cleanup is. Cleaning the Grind Control is similar to cleaning an espresso machine. If you want good coffee but feel like maintaining a machine is to complicated, it's probably best to buy your coffee somewhere. You can start cleaning the Grind Control as soon as the grinder stops moving - just unlock it, remove the hopper and as many beans as needed to be able to remove the grinder, remove the rest ov the beans and clean this area with a brush during the brewing cycle. Use a pipe cleaner to clear the 3 holes in both the top and bottom grinder sections. Once your coffee is ready, take a sip or two then put it on a warming plate while you take a few minutes to brush the grinding chute clean and wipe the entire machine clean with a damp microfiber cloth and wash the filter basket and all removable parts. Pat dry the spout where the water flows into the basket, just above the grinding chute as well since this area can acquire a mineral build-up that can affect the taste of your brew. After a few months of research and having no coffee from a drip machine, I bought my second Breville Grind Control 8 years and 2 months after the first. I've been using it for a month now and I've certainly missed this coffee. I'm maintaining the new machine better after each use than I did - some of the steps I listed I didn't do before. The only time I ever disassembled the grinder mechanism on the first machine was during the descaling process. I do use very dark beans though, and since I've grown accustomed to deep cleaning an espresso machine after regular use, I've noticed details about cleaning this machine I neglected before that when done regularly, produce a better brew. Also with this new machine, I only use the included basket instead of paper filters. This method delivers a brew consistency closer to a French Press, which is sort of what the Grind Control is - an electric French Press... ... ... ... End of Year 8 Update... ... .... UPDATE: FIVE (5) Years Later... I Still use this machine daily, usually for at least 2 single serve cups of various size, depending on the mug I'm using that day. Occasionally I'll brew a pot, either when I have guests, or the day after I run the Decalcification cycle, which I just ran today. The machine has a censor that tells when to clean, but rather than waiting, I prefer to clean every 6 weeks. In addition to the brush provided, I use a bamboo picnic knife to scrape inside of the chute to remove more grinds. Compressed Air is useful as well when doing a deep clean of the machine which I do twice a year ((OUTSIDE)). With the hopper removed (and excess beans) I spray the compressed air through the chute and the grinder (top half removed). Vinegar-soaked paper towels help remove ground coffee built up around the grinder and in the chute. Allow to air-dry, and reassemble. ...(End of 5 Year UPDATE)... The Breville Grind control is the best product with an electric cord I have ever purchased. I first saw it at the mall, and upon inspection it was clear it was designed for people who really enjoy coffee, by people who really enjoy coffee. The display model was the only one in stock, and the next store did not have it either. I logged onto Amazon when I got home, and 4 days later it arrived. The next morning, just over 2 weeks before my 42nd birthday, I tasted the coffee I always wanted but never was attainable. The ability to brew as few as one to as many as 12 cups is awesome. Before work I only have time for one cup, usually 350 ml. On days off I fill the entire carafe, and after more than 3 hours, the last mug is still a very drinkable and tasty temperature. For a single cup, which I enjoy black, I use strength setting 8 (strongest), and grind setting 1 (finest). For a carafe I use 3 on the grind setting. For after work, I found it quite easy to make an even stronger brew by starting the machine just long enough to grind beans for a 295 ml cup. Stop, open and close the brew basket door, adjust the grind for 235 ml cup, and within a few minutes I have a great base for whatever espresso type drink I have attempted to make. I purchased a separate milk frothing/steaming machine, so now when I visit the local Coffee House it is only to buy beans. Clean up is easy. Barely 2 minutes of rinsing and wiping. The longer it sits, the tougher it is to wipe the release disk, but I've not been so lazy yet that it has been bothersome. This past weekend I performed the descale process for the first time. It was simple and the machine is programmed to allow plenty of deep cleaning time. The previous brewer I owned was a single cup grind and brew system. It made a decent cup of coffee, but was no where near as hot or good. Clean up was tougher as the actual grinders had to be rinsed and dried after each cup. After a few months, the pressure point on the lid of the grinder popped off, cracking the lid. I made it work for a few weeks until I found the Breville Grind Control. Honestly, the coffee is so tasty I actually thank the machine as soon as the brew process is complete. The only downside? I work at a Diner and usually allow myself whatever coffee I can manage to sip until 10 a.m. I just can't taste it anymore. It tastes vaguely like that sip of decaf I mistakenly had a couple years ago, and as such, leaves me asking, why? Why would anyone drink this? Well, I for one, am currently devising an iced coffee recipe for my Grind Control so I will no longer have to. I paid full price for my Breville Grind Control, and have neither requested nor received compensation for my honest review. It has had no performance issues so far and I am extremely satisfied with the purchase. The photos are of a latte macchiato, from start, to beginning of the end, made using the Grind Control and separate frothing machine. If you need a new coffee brewer and you really enjoy coffee, this is the machine you need.

I bought this as a replacement to a much older BHG grinder/brewer I've had for a while. My old machine was 10 cup, and had a grinder built in, but it was a blade. It made good coffee and I liked that I could control the taste by the volume of beans I put in it. However, I wanted a 12 cup brewer and a bur grinder so the Breville seemed like it had all the features I was looking for. I like that it has a bean hopper that I can just fill and use. I like that I can fill the water reservoir and use only the amount of water I need for each brew. I like that I can adjust the grind size, the number of cups in the carafe and the fact that I can change to a single cup brew. Previously I'd have to break out my French press if I wanted a single cup. All good features and it's been working good so far. Con's so far? it's taken me a while to get things dialed in to my taste. I'm having trouble getting a strong enough cup of coffee for my liking. The nice bean hopper feature is also a drawback as I can't adjust the amount of beans I grind to suite my taste. Even a strength setting of 8 I find too weak for my taste. But it's getting better as I am adjusting and experimenting with grind size. At first I was a little disappointed with this unit, but as I'm learning it, the better it's getting and the more I'm enjoying it. In my case, the benefits certainly outweigh the con's and so far I recommend it. I've only had it since Christmas so I can't comment to the longer term function of the unit, but based on other reviews, I'm definitely doing my part to keep the unit clean after each use. (Update) It's been a couple months now of use and I am loving this machine! Yes, it does require upkeep, but that's fine with me. I do a light cleaning about once a week and about every 2 weeks remove the hopper and do the deep cleaning. Other than that, nothing else and this thing works great. I don't mind it cause I like to tinker anyway. Makes a good cup every time, especially now that I have the settings the way I like it. Works just as good using beans or pre-ground coffee. I love that I can make a single up on weekday mornings and brew a full pot on weekends. In both instances, the coffee comes out great. Really enjoying this machine and highly recommend it. 1 Yr Update: It's been almost a year so I thought I'd revisit this. After 11+ months of use, I have to say I love this machine. Well worth the price. For all those who complain about having to clean the machine, I say suck it up and stop complaining. How pissed would you be if you discovered your favorite coffee cafe wasn't cleaning their machines on a daily basis! Once a week I spend 10 minutes doing a detailed cleaning and I've had zero issues with this unit. I believe weekly maintenance is important. If I can't find 10 minutes a week, then I don't deserve to complain when the machine doesn't live up to my standards. I've also discovered the key to getting the perfect strength coffee. People, use the calibration routine! This is essential to dialing in the perfect taste. I had been struggling getting the coffee strong enough for my liking. By calibrating, and then lowering the weighed grams amount on the dial, I was able to fool the machine into grinding more beans per cup, resulting in the strength I've been looking for. If you're going to spend $200-$300 on a coffee machine and aren't prepared to put the effort into maintaining and calibration, then don't complain when it doesn't give you what you expect. Did I say I love this machine! I've raised my rating to 5 stars as this machine delivers in every way. (UPDATE) It was great while it lasted. The computer doesn't allow me to brew anymore. I've taken everything apart and cleaned it, followed all the troubleshooting solutions, it just beeps at me and gives me a code 001. For the price I should have gotten more than a year and a half out of it. Changed my rating from 5 to 2 stars. It's a 5 Star product, until it breaks!

UPDATED 4/20/2026, CORRECTED SOME TYPO'S I've had this Breville Grind Control for a total of 2-weeks. It's a great choice for a combo grinder/brewer. This Breville replaced a very old Capresso maker (only), which after an almost ridiculous 20 years, finally started giving me problems. I don't expect this Breville, or any coffee maker for that matter, to ever last that long again, but we're very pleased with the high quality of this machine and the brew it makes every day. It only took 1 or 2 experimental rounds to get it dialed in and making really great tasting coffee. No more guess work -- set your grind, set your strength, the number of cups, and you'll get a great cup of coffee every time. I only buy our coffee from a very well known local family-owned roaster and purveyor located in The Strip District of Pittsburgh, PA. The Finest roasts and coffee you can buy. With this Breville it's perfect every time!! Very easy to use, totally automatic, and from grind to brew to finished product, it's a very fast machine. Coffee temp is right on the mark. I've temped the coffee with a ThermoPro instant read a few times and it ranges from 184-188 deg F. Works for me! I read some reviews stating there's no hot plate to keep the coffee warm. Well first, there is a hot plate, just not the old time hot plate some folks are used to having that would evaporate the coffee in your old glass pot within an hour. Nope, the Breville has a warming plate that just sort of pre-heats the carafe. And that's another item -- it's a stainless steel INSULATED carafe folks. It DOES NOT need an old style hot plate. Use common sense -- before your make coffee put a small pot of water on your stove to boil, dump it into this Stainless Steel Carafe, let it sit for a few minutes. Dump out the hot water and your carafe is preheated and ready for the coffee to grind and brew. The carafe will now keep it warm for a decent time, ON YOUR COUNTER. Try it, it'll work. Same thing for your travel mugs -- preheat with some boiling water first, then get your coffee going. So to continue the review of this machine -- I didn't set out to purchase a $400 coffee maker. But I wanted a new burr grinder too (my previous grinder was also a very old Capresso burr grinder, that had seen much better times) and this Breville was the combo I was looking for. So I took the leap and did it. If you're on the fence debating the cost versus a cheaper coffee maker, just know that this Breville works great, makes tasty coffee of your choosing, and as a bonus can make single cups, travel mugs, partial carafes, and it can also use your favorite pre-ground coffee if you use that stuff. So it's very versatile. Cleaning the machine hasn't been a major deal either. I take a few minutes after each brew and wipe the interior off from any residue. Also I watched a video here that some folks had apparently solved a "sort of problem" with steam affecting the remaining beans that are left in the hopper. I follow those folks recommendation and remove the brew basket immediately after the cycle is finished, leaving the brew basket door open so I can wipe the inside down, toss out the used coffee grounds, rinse out the basket etc. No problem at all with compromised quality of the remaining whole beans in the hopper. Thank you to those folks who figured that out!! Much appreciated!! Do yourself a favor and check out their short video. To wrap this up, I highly recommend this Breville Grind Control coffee system. Cost may seem a little high, but it's worth it because you can grind and brew all in one machine, for the freshest of fresh coffee. I also purchased an extended Asurion warranty because there's so much electronics on all these appliances now, the extra protection is worth it, to me anyway.

Have owned several of these. They make seriously great coffee, much better than any others we've tried - and we're minor coffee snobs. It's easy to set up to go in the evening and wakes us up at the right time every day. It's easy to use, easy to clean daily and monthly cleaning isn't too bad. It does single cups pretty well and it's easy to set up for pre-ground coffee. And it doesn't seem to last more than a couple of years =/ . I figure spending 50 cents a day on a coffeemaker that makes really good is acceptable, though I'd REALLY rather not have to replace it so often. There are a bunch of knobs you can fiddle with - don't be afeared, because the settings it comes with are just fine and make a really good cuppa. If you fool with them, you can make better coffee than you can get anywhere else short of out of a cappucino maker run by a real live barista. Or French press. Yeah, French press is better coffee, but does a French press wake you up in the morning and have your coffee ready to pour by the time you stumble out to the kitchen? NO! This grind-and-brew fella does that, though. You set the clock, set the on-time (easy PEASY), go to bed, and at whatever AM the grinder goes GRRRRRR, the dogs jump on you in the bed, you get up and feed the noisy varmints, and by the time they head out the door to pee, your coffee is DONE. Let's see a French press do THAT. Setting it up night before is easy. You dump in some water, fill the bean hopper if you need to, dial in however many cups of brew you want tomorrow, push a button twice and there you go. It tells you it's set to go off in the morning on the lighted display. Yeah, the thermal carafe doesn't pour right. Seems to be a common flaw with everyone's stainless jug. It does keep the coffee warm pretty well. We drink it before it cools (because it's GOOD), so can't tell you how long it will stay warm enough for you in the pot. btw, pulling the pot out mid-brew isn't a problem. There's an automatic valve in the bottom of the filter basket that shuts off flow. Don't leave the carafe out for too long, because the basket will eventually overflow, but we've never had a problem with coffee dribbling all over the counter whilst we pour an impatient cup. It does single cups pretty well, but there are some tricks. You probably want to dial the grinder down to a smaller number, like a 2 or 3 as opposed to a 4 or 5 for a larger pot. (And you have to remember to reset it or your pot will be bitter in the morning!) You also may have to dial in a higher strength setting. You just have to figure it out based on your preferences, the coffee you use and what you and your significant other negotiate. And if you don't do that, your single cup comes out a bit weak. Drinkable, not terrible. You can use preground coffee just fine. You press a button to turn the grinder off and put your best stuff into the filter. Everything else is the same. And it stays on preground until you change it. But use beans, all y'all! You paid for the privilege! Daily cleaning, after you get the hang of it, is a nice ritual, not hard at all. I dump the waste coffee into chipmunk holes and around snail-chomped hosta plants in my garden. I spend a minute scrubbing out the pot, lid, filter (I use the metal one that comes with the pot) and filter basket with a soft brush under running water. I wipe down the shiny metal disk on the coffeemaker to get the hardened coffee gunk off - otherwise, it dribbles after a few days. Then I get it ready for tomorrow. I stick the filter in the basket, hook the basket into the basket holder and close the basket holder firmly. I fill the water tank with filtered water from my fridge dispenser (don't use distilled - makes horrible coffee!). I fill up the bean hopper if need be. I make sure the right number of cups is still set and press the wake-me button twice. When I've done that right, it beeps cheerily and flashes 5:00 AM (ugh). Done. Monthly cleaning is a little more involved. First, it's best to use up all the water or you could make a mess (I've certainly never done that). I wash and replace the filter and basket and close the basket holder. The bean hopper comes off easily, and if you do it with the basket holder closed, it also spins the metal disk so you can see through the disk's window into the grinder. I take the filter basket out. I unplug it next, because I do all this stuff outside - it's a bit of a mess. I tip it on its side to get the few beans left in the grinder. There's sort of a handle on the top grinding plate that you turn, and it comes off. I usually have to use a pliers to do that, but it isn't hard. I use an old toothbrush to clean up the burrs and top grinding plate, then poke around through the disk window with the odd brush they give you to loosen up the caked-up grounds under the bottom grinding plate. Then I either use a canned-air spray you use to clean your keyboard or - I like this, but you HAVE to make sure!!!! there's no!!!! water in the hopper!!!! - a vacuum set on minimum suck, like you'd use for curtains. Then I put it all together (you won't need your pliers if you did it well) and go plug it in again. Next, I press the button for preground and dial cups to 12 (no coffee in there!). I pour Costco vinegar into the water tank up to the 4 cup mark, then fill it to 12 cups with filtered water. Don't overfill - it just slops out the overfill drain onto your counter. Vinegar is bad for marble, btw. You push one of the knobs until you get a beep and the display says, "Infusing". It cogitates and gurgles and steams, then starts filling the pot with hot vinegar water. Beep says it's done and you dump it out and do it one more time. (I pour the hot vinegar water on the weeds in the road. Kills 'em satisfactorily without poison. We all win.) Last, you fill the tank with filtered water and run the preground cycle (no coffee!), dump out the water and do it at least one more time. Yeah, it's a bit of work, but only once a month. I start in the morning and kind of do it all day, doing chores, raving on Facebook, and whatever while the pot is cycling. No prob. Well, a little prob, but the coffee is worth it. Now we come to the reliability thing. This is my fourth or fifth one of these over about ten years. The last one died because somehow we got water into the grinder. Trick is to catch it and get the water out as soon as you realize what happened, but this time ... gremlins. Usually, it just gets clogged and mad and stops, but this time, a little water got into the motor. Long story, but my circuit breaker was bad and the motor burned up. Rats. Don't get water in the grinder. No. The others - one suddenly wouldn't grind without bogging down, one began starting whenever it pleased but never when we wanted it to, and one just completely went on strike. The lights were on, but no one was home. Shortest (barring water where it doesn't belong) 14 months, just over the warranty period; longest more than three years. But not great. I bought another one. I'll probably buy another one after this. Not happy about average of a bit more than two years per machine at $300 per plus tax. But I figure about 50 cents per pot is something I can do for excellent coffee and, other than reliability, pretty great design. Breville: I do quality design and process improvement for a living, and I'm retiring in a few months. Let me know if you want help (not for free, though, all y'all!). You have a blockbuster machine here - but.

I bought this coffee maker after seeing an article stating that the editor of Food and Wine wouldn't use anything else. I had some trepidation after reading Amazon reviews saying it was unreliable and hard to clean. I've had it for several months now, so I can't speak to long-term reliability, although It has worked flawlessly for me. But what I can say is that I've never drunk better coffee from an automatic coffee maker (for the best coffee, use an AeroPress, but I'm not often willing to go to the trouble). I buy freshly roasted beans from a local gourmet roaster, and this coffee maker lets the great quality shine. I usually brew just a single cup of coffee at a time. The GE Cafe Grind-n-Brew that I owned previously made anemic single cups. The Breville will make them as strong as you want; indeed, its controllability is one of its best features. Now, as to complaints that others have registered. Some say that grounds get stuck in the rubber conduit between the grinder and the brewing basket and won't make it to the brewing basket, so the coffee brews weak. That will not happen if you are punctilious about cleaning the basket and drying it thoroughly before brewing more coffee. If the rubber conduit is wet or has a buildup of coffee oils, ground coffee will stick to it and block coffee from getting into the brew basket. Others complain about the need to clean the shiny vertical disk that opens and closes to allow coffee to come from the grinder. You have to do it, but it only takes a few seconds per brewing session. I do wish I could toss the brew basket into the dishwasher, but it doesn't take that long to rinse it out and put it in the draining rack to dry out between uses. The carafe is a weak spot, IMHO. You really do have to preheat it or your coffee will not stay hot. Moreover, it has to be turned nearly upside down to pour a cup, and the design makes it difficult to pour that last cup and to clean it well. You may reasonably decide that this coffee maker doesn't provide enough added value beyond a garden variety Mr. Coffee or equivalent to justify the cost. But I was comparing this to a Jura 6 or a high-end Philips or DeLonghi at more than twice the price. It won't make espresso, but for standard brewed coffee, this coffee maker does a superb job and to me is worth its high price.

My wife and I decided to spring for this high end grinder coffee maker after Costco decided to eliminate their industrial coffee grinders. It was an easy decision, since I had two friends with this machine who absolutely loved it. In fact, one friend (a suspected coffee snob) told me that having freshly ground coffee would be a 'game changer'. After two months of using this maker, the coffee is good, and the electronics are great; however, I have the following regrets: 1) While the coffee is good, neither of us can really tell the difference between the fresh ground and previously ground from Costco. 2) Cleaning this unit each day is MUCH more involved and cumbersome! The filter basket is poorly designed in that it it does not disassemble. It also seems to trap a lot of grounds in its nooks and crannies so it is tricky to wash. Grounds also are left behind inside in the grinding area, which require a daily wiping down. And for some reason, the filter [auto-shut off when the carafe is removed] seems to drip a few tablespoons out per day which requires that you empty and clean the lower basin which catches it. 3) I've had at least a few mornings when the bean feeding becomes stuck [presumably by an errant bean] feeding the grinder so the grinder simply spins with no beans feeding through. When this happens it is very tricky because if you allow it to brew you will have a weak pot, because the electronic 'intelligence' doesn't know if it is grinding or not. There is no mechanism to tell it to re-grind, so you must 'fool' the machine to grind more and then brew - very difficult. 4) After only a month of normal use, the carafe topper that sits under the brew basket broke. After reaching out to Breville, we found that these parts are not covered under their warranty, so I was forced to purchase a replacement. After complaining to customer service, I was offered a 15% discount! Its really not about the money - I would expect more from such a high end unit. Plus, I had to super-glue the broken piece back on the top while we waited for the replacement; otherwise, the coffee would not flow to the carafe. Do I have buyers remorse? YOU BET I DO

UPDATE: JULY 20, 2020 Ok, so I got through most of the fiddly parts with my Breville Grind & Brew. It makes GREAT coffee. It requires regular maintenance. If you DON'T clean it/maintain it properly you will NOT get great coffee & you may not get any coffee at all!! I'm now very proficient at maintaining this machine. Of course, sometimes I push the envelope. Like, when I KNOW I should clean out the chute where grounds can solidify & stop pushing the coffee into the basket assembly. The next pot of coffee is usually just yellow liquid - no coffee. Here are important points about maintenance. I use a vacuum cleaner clean out the burr grinder & even the chute. Old coffee grounds will solidify over time & harden. I use a toothpick to loosen everything & then get it out with the vacuum. It's very effective. I never ever put parts in the dishwasher. I've made the mistake a couple of times of putting the carafe in the dishwasher. Water gets into the thermal carafe & doesn't come out. The other parts to this machine, while removeable, have rubber or metal blades on them. Over time, I believe, the dishwasher will weaken the rubber and corrode the metal. It's very easy to use a good bottle brush & detergent to clean everything. DO NOT reassemble the machine with wet parts. The inner burr grinder will compact grounds over time and that's enough of a problem. If you attach it damp or wet, the clumping will occur more frequently. Having had this machine for 5 years, & using it daily (sometimes twice per day), the burr grinder & chute must be disassembled and cleaned each time a FULL bean hopper is emptied from use. It just will make your life easier & coffee experience better. FOLLOW DESCALING procedure. When the machine tells you to descale with 8 cups of water & 4 cups of white vinegar, just do it. Once that's done, run 12 cups of clean water through the machine once or twice. Ok, so as an "update", I'll add that my Breville, though not fully broken was becoming more and more temperamental. So, I just replaced it through Amazon. Even with hand washing everything, the rubber parts to this machine were starting to fail. It was becoming more difficult to release the hopper. The rubber on the basket assembly wasn't that great and wasn't perfectly aligning with the chute opening. There's a rubber in the chute opening too. I noticed grounds sticking & hardening there more frequently. My decision to replace this Breville was easy. I truly love the coffee it makes. I figured I got 4.5 years out of my original machine & figuring how much coffee I make, it was worth the cost. The original machine likely would have performed for another year or so. I just noticed the rubber parts giving out & figured it was time. I'll hold on to my original machine for a little while - just in case the new one is a total lemon. Review remains at 3 stars. You have to really really want a great cup of coffee every day to be willing to deal with the maintenance. I'm willing to do it but it's not for everybody. UPDATE: DECEMBER 30 2019 So, I figured out how to get that shiney metal disc to open. You have to have ALL the pieces in place (the plastic little grinds catcher & the basket assembly) with the door closed BEFORE taking apart the hopper. When you loosen the grinder assembly in the hopper, the silver disc will move to an open position. THEN you can get in there and clean the chute. And it really needs to be cleaned!!!! Maybe it's because my machine is approaching 4 years old that it's become more finicky. Lately, it seems, every other pot is just hot water because the chute is clogged. I've gotten into the habit of using a toothpick in the chute to loosen the packed grinds & then taking the hose of my vacuum to it. That gets everything out but it's a pain in the ass to have to do every other day. In the past, I could go through 2 full bean hoppers before cleaning the machine. Now, it's much more frequent. When I clean the chute, I also use a flashlight to inspect the inside to make sure none of the rubber is damaged. It's not but I guess it's a little older & worn now so the grounds jam within the machine more readily. Timed obsolescence?? I'm contemplating replacing this machine with a new one just because it's now temperamental. When it works, it makes great coffee though. Oh, bear in mind that if you're making a full pot (12 cups) DON'T fill the machine beyond the first "beep" sound. The carafe will spill over. This is a flaw, I think, since the carafe should stop brewing at the correct amount of water. The coffee maker should not just empty its contents if you set the machine for 12 cups. I haven't found a machine that makes a better cup of coffee. The comparable Cuisinart also has issues and complaints. It's a little cheaper than Breville. For now, I'll stick with what I know. Maybe I'll just replace it with another since getting it fixed with all new interior parts may cost almost as much as the current price. Happy Coffee in 2020!! UPDATE: NOVEMBER 29, 2018 Ok, it's been just under 3 years that I've had this Breville. I really really liked it. I had no issue cleaning it. I liked the way it told me when to descale it - and I did that as soon as I got the "DESCALE" notice on the machine. Up until a few days ago, it would have gotten a stellar review. But now, for the first time, the disc that covers the grinding chute suddenly stopped functioning. For the past 3 days, I've only gotten a pot of hot water in the morning instead of my needed cup of coffee. I cleaned the entire machine. I emptied the hopper, pulled everything out, vacuumed it out completely. I pulled out the burr grinder & cleaned it with a toothpick (not that it was all that dirty.) I made sure that the lower grinder turned easily. I ran another pot and again, hot water. Then I noticed that when I unlocked the burr grinder, the mirrored disc doesn't turn. I'm tempted to take out the screws holding the plastic cover that attaches the mirrored disc, but I'm a little afraid to do that. It seems to me that there must be some kind of jam at the lower part of the chute that I can't reach without taking apart the entire housing. What a drag. So, the question is: Do I call Breville? Do I replace this machine with another one? Do I get the new Cuisinart or Capresso? I can't seem to get any coffee maker to last more than 3 years. I so loved waking up to a hot freshly ground cup of coffee!! My machine had light daily use - about 2 full mugs of coffee per day (6 cups). It has been cleaned every day & descaled per instructions. I don't know why this happened but I'm disappointed. Lowering my rating to 2 stars for 3 good years anyway. I intend to update this review as I continue with this Breville. Having owned TWO Cuisinart Grind & Brew machines, I know that time will tell whether this machine will hold up. I note the following: Hopper is significantly smaller than on the Cuisinart & holds fewer beans. That's probably a good thing as it's my policy to clean the grinder when the hopper is empty. With fewer beans, I'm brushing it out every few days as opposed to once per week or so with the Cuisinart. It uses A LOT of beans at one time. My only comparison here is by considering the amount of ground beans in the filter after making a pot. A 6 or 8-cup pot on the Breville at 3 strength used significantly more beans than my Cuisinart at Medium strength. I switched to 3-strength since level 4 almost filled the filter & was actually stronger than I'm used to. I'm very fastidious with my coffee machines & clean up after I have my first morning cup. I can see that over time the chute disc at the back of the machine may get funky if it's not regularly wiped down. I also worry about that mechanism getting jammed or stuck over time. There's no way to remove it to see if there's any clog where the ground beans come out. The coffee basket has a hinged top. It seems a little flimsy to me and may give way over time. Also, the rubber opening to the basket may wear down over time - as it did on my Cuisinart. At the end of the life of the Cuisinart, I began to regularly apply a little vegetable oil to the rubbery parts so that they wouldn't stick. I fear that that process may be needed on the soft rubbery parts of the Breville as well. The coffee pot keeps the coffee hot - for hours. Now, I don't know if it reaches that optimum level that coffee affecionados desire, but it works for me. I was drinking Christmas brunch coffee at 9pm & didn't have to heat up my cup in the microwave. That's OK with me! However, I find that cleaning the pot is bothersome. I have small hands. Yet, my hand can't reach into the pot to clean it it. I have to purchase one of those spongy dish cleaning things on a stick to get in there. That's slightly annoying. Making a single cup is totally cool - except you have to go through the process of cleaning everything up again. Taking everything apart and brushing out that burr grinder regularly is essential!! I can see how bean residue will get clogged in there. So, you DO have to remove the hopper, release the upper burr grinder thingy & really brush everything out. It's a little cumbersome to do & frankly, you don't know if you're getting everything out. You can't remove the lower burr grinder. (The upper burr grinder is a round disc that screws into place directly above the lower grinder. The lower grinder sits in a well area & is not moveable.) So I don't know whether you can ever tell if there's a clog below the lower grinder. Time will tell whether such a build up (if any) poses a problem. Filling the tank is easy enough. However, I found it's easiest to use a measuring cup with a pour spout to prevent drips outside the machine. Ultimately - and so far - I truly like this machine. I DO believe it requires regular maintenance for optimum results. Frankly, any machine with a burr grinder in it requires maintenance. It seems like it takes a few more steps to maintain as opposed to the Cuisinart Grind & Brew. But those extra steps really don't take any more time. And, if I can have a great cup of coffee everyday without a machine leaking water all over my counter after 2 years of use, I'll be happy. (That was my SECOND Cuisinart Grind & Brew. My first Cuisinart took nearly 3 years to break down. That's why that machine is selling so cheaply now.) If the Breville holds up longer, I'll be a happy coffee drinker. So far, So good.

Updated 7/3/16 - Changing from 2 stars to 1 Star I have officially stopped using this machine and now have a $299 paperweight. I have wasted so much time, energy and coffee on this product that I actually feel like Breville owes me money. I absolutely cannot get a normal pot of coffee, even when I check the grinder to make sure it isn't jammed and clean the chute before making my coffee. I have no idea what is wrong with this machine, but based on other reviews it seems to be a common problem. Breville should be ashamed of themselves. I reached out to them asking for a refund given that I have a coffee maker that could never really make coffee and have not heard back. Just terrible. Please trust me on this - stay far far away! Original Review I have had many grind and brew coffee makers (Cuisinart, Melina, Black and Decker) and I have never been happy with any of them. First of all, they all seemed to have a shelf life of 2-3 years, and I only make coffee on weekends. So, when it was time for a new machine, given all my past disappointments, I decided to make a larger investment and go for a more expensive grind and brew model. Unfortunately that was a decision I now regret. I think it may be easier to open, start and operate a Starbucks than maintain this machine. There are many things you have to do to maintain this machine, and they have to be done regularly... as in all the time. You have to: 1. Clean the chute - this requires you to unlock the top hopper, open the basket hatch, stick something in this tiny hole (I use chopsticks) to try and scoop out the built up grinds on a tray below the hole. You may have to stick your finger in there to really get everything out. You then have to clean out all the grinds that landed on little grind catcher below the hole. You then have to clean the utensil you used, your finger, and any other stray grinds on the machine/counter. 2. Clean the grinder - Unlock the hopper and lift. Beans will likely fall from the bottom, so be careful. Then you have to scoop out individual beans from the top grinder. Unlock top grinder, remove, and then clear out the beans inside the grinder. Not an easy task given the limited space you have to work in. Once removed, brush out grinds and spin the grinder a bit to ensure it is free and clear of any beans that maybe lodged in. Truth be told, I find the only way to really clean this out is to actually vacuum it out. Replace the top and lock. Replace the hopper and lock. 3. Descale (in all fairness, all machines must be descaled) - Basically brew vinegar and water several times. Takes about half an hour. 4. Pre-Heat Carafe - You have to pre-heat the carafe every time you use this. This requires 5 minutes of getting super hot water, filling, letting it sit, and then dumping. This also makes the idea of scheduling a brew pretty pointless. Not sure how nobody thought of that. Now, if any one of these things are not done, and not done 100% perfectly, you will end up with brown water. This can happen EVEN if you just performed the 3 steps above. So, ANY batch could be either cold or brown water, even if the machine was cleaned before your last brew. Plus, even if you just cleaned it out, it may not be perfect. That is how sensitive this machine is. Ironically, you can brew a single cup with this machine. Ha! Imagine going through this nightmare spiral of maintenance hell for a single cup???? This machine is big and heavy. If you have normal cabinets you will be lifting and pulling out this bulky machine every time you use it in order to fill the water from the top. The stainless steel is very quick to pick up oils from your hands, especially after handling the beans, so the machine requires constant wiping down and cleaning. Now, a few good things. When the machine does brew coffee properly, it is pretty good... although, so is a zero maintenance and reliable Keurig tastes pretty good as well. It looks nice and holds a good amount of beans. The no drip works flawlessly (first time I have experienced that) and the carafe can be placed on a countertop once brewed as there is no heating element. This machine is high maintenance and expensive. You will waste many beans with this machine as you try to balance the many settings and the awful maintenance until you get a decent cup. While some features are cleverly designed, the overall design of this machine is poor. For the price, it is absolutely not worth the time and energy to make a cup of coffee.

This is a great product that makes very good coffee. It’s very easy to use but it does requires regular cleaning. The cleaning is not laborious - it’s slightly time consuming. Do not buy this with an expectation of a Keurig. The basket that holds the used grounds gets a bit messy and the unit can only be hand washed. Additionally the burr grinder area needs at least weekly attention. If you are not going to clean it regularly and promptly I can see how issues could be encountered. I really like the thermal carafe (no warming plate) it’s super liberating just to place it anywhere to serve. The design of the carafe is a bit unusual, you have to basically turn it upside down to get the last cup. These are really first world problems. Overall very happy with the purchase. It has intuitive digital display, offers versatility / customization and honestly I don’t think you can go wrong with this brand. I love that it takes all the guesswork out of the morning routine. The auto start is awesome! To wake up with freshly ground coffee is amazing. I think it’s worth the money considering cost per use. I hope it stands the test of time.

Es una excelente cafetera con un muy bien valor, gracias a Amazon pude adquirir ya que no se encuentra en el mercado nacional. La cafetera cuenta con molino de café integrado y configurable, además se puede programar la cantidad e intensidad a la que se desea. El recipiente es térmico y mantiene el café caliente, y es de fácil acceso a la limpieza del filtro. Además de contar con temporizador para programar la hora de inicio.

This coffee maker was a big disappointment. It worked fine for ten months and then started to malfunction on a regular basis. It’s a decent coffee maker but no more than that. I specifically wanted a coffee maker with a built-in grinder, and went back and forth between this and the Cuisinart, and I regret this choice. For $300, it’s mediocre. The coffee it makes is good but not spectacular, especially given the quality of the beans I use, plus filtered water. It’s reasonably easy to use - there is a bit of a learning curve with all the dials, but it’s easy after that. Cleaning it is a pain in the arse, and it needs to be cleaned often. Just lately, every few days, and I mean I have to vacuum out the burr grinder or it gets clogged. To do that, the rotating disc and the grind chute have to be lined up, and just lately the disc frequently doesn’t want to move, necessitating several rounds of unplugging the unit, plugging it back in, unlocking the bean hopper and opening the filter drawer until it finally cooperates. If you’re getting the idea that this machine isn’t worth it, good. I will say, Breville Customer Service are pretty good. The woman I spoke with was lovely and walked me through the cleaning process when the thing got stuck recently. But two days after that, it malfunctioned again, and now the year’s manufacturer’s warranty is up tomorrow, and of course it’s a holiday tomorrow and they won’t be open. We’ll see what they say on Tuesday but I’m not holding my breath, and the next time the thing has a conniption, it’s going in the bin. So, essentially... if you’re going to spend this kind of money, buy a different coffee maker.

Es muy bonita, fácil de usar y el café increíble. Lo malo es que el molino no es duradero, rápidamente empieza a fallar y a pesar de que he seguido las instrucciones de Breville para limpiar periódicamente el problema es cada vez peor. Y LO PEOR DE TODO, LA COMPRÉ A TRAVÉS DE AMAZON MÉXICO, BREVILLE MÉXICO NO RECIBE ESTE MODELO PARA GARANTIA PORQUE NO ES UN MODELO QUE SE VENDA EN MÉXICO Y BREVILLE EN ESTADOS UNIDOS TAMPOCO PORQUE "NO DEBÍ SACAR EL PRODUCTO DEL PAÍS",

Excelente producto. Funciona perfecto. Alta calidad en los materiales. Fácil de limpiar y usar.